MAC NUDE LIPSTICK II: Swatches & Product Info

August 30, 2017August 30, 2017 by beauty-products-are-my-cardio

Nude Lips are so classic and can be worn with many different makeup looks. I love experimenting with different tones for the fall and in general. Lets be honest nude makeup is my favorite lol Whether its a brown toned nude or a more pink/mauve nude there are endless options when it comes to MAC, not just with shades but with different finishes. One thing I love about MAC , no matter your skin tone they have you covered! With fall just around the corner I wanted to show you 9 more must have MAC Nude Lipstick!

My first must have nudes from my MAC Collection are all swatched HERE

Colors Top – Bottom:

**Shop by clicking shade names**

YASH deep neutral – matte finish
TWIG soft muted brownish pink – satin finish
FAUX muted mauve pink – satin finish
MEHR dirty blue pink – matte finish
CHERISH soft muted peachy beige – satin finish
TAUPE muted reddish – taupe brown – matte finish
HUG ME flesh pink – lustre finish
KINDA SEXY neutral pinky rose – matte finish
WHIRL dirty rose – matte finish

Do you spot any of your favorites? Hug Me is such a beautiful nude and because its a lustre finish I love the way it looks and is a nice change from my normal mattes. I can mix it with other colors easily or switch it up with different lip liner shades. Whirl is new to me even though I know it has a cult following (late to the game I know!!!) Whirl is such a fun darker shade on me that brings me back to the 90’s and I LOVE IT!

What are your must have nude lipsticks? Do you have MAC lipsticks you can not live without? For me Honey Love, Spirit and Blankety are some of my must haves see swatches HERE. I am excited to switch things up for Fall this year! Don’t forget to subscribe, share and pin!

Here is an easy guide for you to pin to Pinterest

WANT MORE MAC? Please see posts below:

* Swatches of the entire Liptensity line here

* Swatches of NEW Metallic Lipstick line here

* Swatches of the entire Strobe Cream line here

* Swatches of my favorite MAC Nudes here

* MAC Shadescents Line Information here

* My Custom MAC Eyeshadow Palette here

* Three Must Have MAC Redlipsticks here

* Review on MAC Prep & Prime Oil / LipScrubs here

DISCLAIMER: Some lipsticks were sent for editorial consideration, thoughts and opinions are my own. Links associated with BPAMC are affiliate links. Thank You so much for your constant love and support to Beauty Products Are My Cardio

IHERB: Natural Beauty Products

August 29, 2017 by beauty-products-are-my-cardio

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by IHerb and products were provided for reviewing purposes. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

In recent months I have started to pay attention to ingredients of what is in my skincare products and when I went for my last facial I was told I need to exfoliate 3 times a week. I knew I wanted to try out Aveeno’s face scrub along with others from the Positively Radiant Line. You all know I love affordable beauty and have been paying close attention to ingredients so Aveeno was the perfect match! Per the IHERB website: “Positively Radiant is a collection of facial skincare products uniquely formulated to target all 5 Factors of Radiance – tone, texture, dullness, blotchiness and brown spots – to leave skin fresh, awake and luminous.

Being a mom my sleep is never stable and my skin suffers. Looking awake and luminous is key for my beauty routine and a must have with products I use. The face scrub is gentle for my sensitive skin and has been leaving my skin feeling fresh and awake. I can see a different in my texture and dullness and would suggest to try this scrub out if you are dealing with texture and dullness. One of the best things you can do is exfoliate 2-3 times a week and this scrub is perfect.

When we think about natural beauty products sometimes that means going to a special store but now they are more accessible than ever and with IHERB the process is quick and easy. IHERB has one of the largest selections of high quality natural products including the natural beauty products we love from the brands we love! With over 35,000 products you are bound to find what you are looking for. IHERB ships to over 160 countries and is a Google Trusted Store with a customer service team that provides support in 10 different language

Shopping on IHERB was super easy. Its very user friendly where you can search by brand or by condition (ie: Anti Aging, Women’s ect…) You are able to find your products, add to your cart and check out. The prices are comparable to other retailers and the shipping was ridiculously fast. It felt like next day but it was probably 48 hours. Shipping is also free if you spend $20 which is better than seeing $50 which is what seems to be the standard and I hate that lol. Please tell me I am not the only one!

Aveeno Products: (click product to shop!)

If you are interested in trying Aveeno products or stocking up on your favs, you can get 10% off your Aveeno Order on IHERB by clicking HERE!

Do you use Natural Beauty products, if so what are some of your favorites? Have you shopped on IHERB before? Let me know in the comments below. I”d love to hear your thoughts!

5 Minute Makeup: Must Have Products For A Quick Face!

August 25, 2017August 25, 2017 by beauty-products-are-my-cardio

When it comes to a quick makeup face we all want to be able to just slap it on and go. With two kids and working everyday I have found products that make my 5 minute makeup routine work. It does not require a lot of tools either which I prefer because sometimes I am doing my makeup on the train on my way to work (guilty! lol). Who else does this? Please tell me I am not the only one! Even if I don’t have all the tools I need as long as I have baby wipes lol or makeup wipes in my bag I am just find with using my hands and fingers.

Do I think you need these exact products? Not at all but these are the foundation products I have found that I need for the “I don’t have time and I need to look awake makeup and only have 5 minutes!” #momlife

5 Minute Makeup Products:

Click Products To Shop

Jouer Tinted Luminizing Tinted Moisturizer: Whatever BB Cream or CC cream works for you this is a must. Or maybe you need more full coverage so you have your favorite foundation that works best for you. I just prefer to be able to squeeze it on my hands, put it on my face and keep going. The Jouer tinted moisturizer is one of my favs because its luminous enough to wake up my skin but does not leave me looking greasy. I am in shade Golden which also gives me a beautiful natural color. Sometimes foundations without adding tons of other face products you can looked washed out. I can just put this on and it looks nice. This one also comes in MATTE, see it here.

MAC Studio Fix Perfecting Stick: I love this concealer for quick makeup days. Its very blendable and creamy, easy to apply because its a stick, has medium coverage and is a natural matte finish. I use shade NC 20

Makeup Revolution Baked Bronzer: This bronzer is a dupe for hourglass (See my DUPE LIST HERE) and is only $6!!! Its available in 3 shades at Ulta and gives a perfect amount of warmth to the skin without looking to dark. It also has a beautiful shimmer to it but not glittery at all. I also brush this on my eyelids to give my eyes a wash of color. I have been using bronzer as an eyeshadow for some time now and absolutely obsessed!

MAC Blush in WARM SOUL: Where has this blush been my whole life?!! I am not sure what took me so long but this blush pretty much has a cult following and now I know why. Its the perfect nude blush. Its described as a “mid tone beige with gold pearl”

L’Oreal Mascara: Honestly you can put any of the L’Oreal mascaras in front of me and I will use them. The newest one L’Oreal Paradise is on the top of the list but you can not go wrong with Original Voluminous, Carbon Black or Lash Paradise. If you don’t own any of these I strongly suggest them. I prefer them over any high end mascara!

MAC Great Brows & Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel: So lets just say my eyebrows are thin (insert being a teen in the 90’s here) and do not have great shape to them. If I don’t fill in my brows even the slightest when I have on makeup, I don’t feel put together. I have tried a few different powders but MAC has won me over once again. I personally love the Dior Brow Style Pencil as well but in a hurry I just take the powder fill in a bit and lock it in with the Anastatsia Clear Brow Gel. I know this brow gel is expensive but it literally keeps everything in place and my powder and or pencil product in place which I need.

MAC Blankety & NYX Butter Gloss in Fortune Cookie: MAC Blankety is my all time must have nude lip color. Its the perfect shade for me (see MAC NUDE swatches Here) When I add a bit of NYX butter gloss in Fortune Cookie on top it gives a great shiny every day nude for me.

What are your go to makeup products for a 5 minute makeup look? Let me know! Don’t forget to comment, subscribe and share on Pinterest and Facebook!

NYX STORE OPENING EVENT: WOODFIELD MALL

August 22, 2017 by beauty-products-are-my-cardio

A NYX free standing store has finally landed in the Chicago area and I could not be happier. NYX Cosmetics offers some of the best quality at the drugstore with affordable price tags (insert my fav $6 concealer here lol). You may be thinking, what makes the free standing store so different from the massive selections available at Ulta?!!?? Trust me I thought the same things until I had the pleasure to attend the NYX Store Opening Preview Event. It is not a very large store, maybe a bit smaller than your average free standing MAC store. However I will say the amount of products offered by NYX Cosmetics is anything short of amazing along with the features the store offers. We are use to seeing the products offered at Ulta or even Walgreen’s but once you are inside a NYX Store you are taken back.

The store is located inside the Woodfield Mall right outside MACY’s on the lower level. The walls are covered from top to bottom with products with NYX colors: black, white and hot pink! Its my dream lol When you walk in you see the Beauty Bar where you can swatch, watch and play! The NYX Makeup Artists are on hand to answer any questions and best part?!! They offer one on one lessons with a NYX Makeup Artist where you can learn pro tips and artistry tricks! How fun is that!!?

NYX Store Features:

Testers, Testers, Testers
Create your own eye shadow palettes
Take Home Foundation Samples
Digital Assistance with Product Scanners

TESTERS: When it comes to makeup we all want to test it before we buy it. Whether you want to see or feel the product or if you want to just see the shade on your lips the amount of testers available are endless.

SHADOW & LIP BAR: These walls will just take your breath away with the options of lip products and single eye shadows. The Eye Shadow Bar offers single pans to fill in either a 4 pan palette or a 9 pan palette. With these prices you can not go wrong!

Single Shadows: $4.00

4 Pan Palettes: $12.00

9 Pan Palettes: $28.00

TAKE HOME FOUNDATION SAMPLE: I think I was in such awe of all the beauty around me I totally forgot to do this!!! If you have been with me for a while you know I am not huge on Matte Foundation but for $7.50 I was curious and plus a girl can always just add in some liquid highlighter. This feature is something we only see at High End makeup stores and counters so in my opinion this is a game changer for affordable beauty.

See the foundation HERE at Ulta

PRODUCT SCANNERS: I absolutely loved this feature and had some much fun. If you follow me on Instagram, I did a full preview of this feature on my stories. You take a product, scan it and all the product details will show up. What the product does, how many shades are offered and customer reviews. You also get to see any social media pictures that have been tagged with that product.

I would highly recommend a visit to not only this store if you are in the Chicago area but if you have a free standing NYX Store near you! With endless amounts of affordable products and in-store features you are sure not to leave empty handed, I know I didn’t!

What are some of your must have NYX Products? Have you been to a free standing NYX Store? Would love to hear your thoughts and experience below.

DISCLAIMER: Some links associated with BPAMC are affiliate links. Thank You for your constant love and support to Beauty Products Are My Cardio

MUST HAVE DRUGSTORE PRODUCTS: The 10 Products You Need To Try Now!

August 15, 2017August 15, 2017 by beauty-products-are-my-cardio

It is no secret I love a fab find especially when its under $10 and from the drugstore. Out of this list only two are over $10 but trust me they are worth it! On Tuesdays on my Instagram I like to showcase products that are $10 or less because lets face it, there are some gems at the drugstore. When it comes to must have drugstore products, these 10 products are tried and true, always in reach and in rotation. To see my other fab finds on Instagram use #10orlesstuesday to see my posts.

Drugstore Product List: (click product to shop)

Milani Blushes: I love blush, like really really love blush. Milani Blushes are so affordable, come in multiple shades and have such pretty packaging. Who else is a sucker for classic pretty packaging? Shades I love and use most often are Rosa Romantica and Luminoso (see some Milani swatches HERE. They go on so smoothly and blend like a dream. Its like using a High End Blush.
NYX Butter Glosses: If you are a gloss type of person and have not tried these you must! For under $5 and 34 shades to choose from you are guaranteed to find a shade or two, three or five lol They are very comfortable on the lips, not sticky and provide a nice amount of color. You can wear these glosses alone or over your favorite lipstick for an added pop of shine!
L’Oreal Pro Glow Foundation: Want affordable foundation that will give you a beautiful dewy glow with medium coverage that looks like your skin? This is the one to try. It is so versatile and has become a Holy Grail product. I mix it with my moisturizer, use it alone or I will mix it with my matte foundations for a boost of hydration and glow. My skin is combination but I still prefer to be hydrated and will blot my T Zone when needed. If you have dry skin you will love this foundation!
Wet N Wild Color Icon Blush: For $2.99 this blush goes on like High End but will give you more money in your pocket for more makeup! Hehe!!! Two nude/peach shades that have stolen my heart are Apricot In The Middle & Rose Champagne
Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer: This bronzer will warm up your face and sculpt it while smelling like you are in the tropics! The name is true to its formula because its extremely buttery, blends like a dream and I can say this is a pretty darn close dupe for NARS Laguna Bronzer.
Maybelline Baby Skin Primer: Not only does this make my pores look smaller, my makeup lasts all day. I love this one specifically because its clear. Other pore filling primers are a nude color and I have found the others I have tried (Smashbox, Benefit and Dr. Brandt) have clumped up on my skin. So this one is a winner for me and gets the job done!
Milani Lipsticks: If you have been following me for a while you know MAC Lipsticks are my absolute favorite but when it comes to drugstore lipsticks Milani are the best. They are so close to MAC and I love finding MAC dupes with Milani Lipsticks. There are so many shades and different finishes to choose from. Pigmented, comfortable on the lips and no funky smells and or tastes. One thing I can not handle is a lipstick with a ton of fragrance in it. Who else is like that?
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation – Smooth & Dewy: Another fabulous drugstore foundation that will leave you looking natural and dewy. I love natural makeup and have found so far these two to give me that at the drugstore. The coverage is medium and will last all day on your face.
NYX Gotcha Covered Concealer: This concealer is $5.99, full coverage, comes in 20 shades, infused with coconut oil so it gives the most beautiful dewy finish and is a dupe for Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer. The ingredients are almost identical, trust me you can not go wrong with this one. It does not crease on me and I usually don’t need to set it (but I know that is a preference – see my Top Dewy Concealers HERE)
L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara: One of L’Oreal’s newest products has me jumping for joy! If you are already a L’Oreal Mascara fan this most certainly is one you need to try. If you are new to L’Oreal mascara you wont be disappointed. The amount of length and volume that is achieved will have you putting all your other mascaras to the side. PS if you want to try a mascara primer I highly recommend the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Primer.

What are some of your must have drugstore products? I am always on the hunt for a good deal! Please make sure to subscribe and Pin away on Pinterest if you loved this post!

DISCLAIMER: Some links associated with BPAMC are affiliate links. Thank You for your constant love and support to Beauty Products Are My Cardio

Complexions & Cocktails: Best Matte Foundation?!!??

August 10, 2017August 23, 2017 by beauty-products-are-my-cardio

I had the pleasure to attend the Complexions & Cocktails event hosted by Bare Minerals to get a first look at their NEW BarePro Matte Foundation. This event kicked off here in Chicago at the very trendy and stylish Cindy’s Rooftop inside the Chicago Athletic Hotel. The event will be traveling to other states so stay tuned! While we sipped cocktails and ate delicious food we learned all about the NEW BarePro Performance Liquid Foundation and got to preview other Bare Minerals products and new releases. This foundation comes with benefits that has me asking myself, can this be the best matte foundation?

The Bare Minerals Makeup artists were on hand to give all the guests a personal shade match while we sipped on our cocktails. I was very impressed with how fast the Makeup Artist found my shade. Shade 6 matched perfectly to my neck (the best way to find your match!). Once we were matched we were able to go over to what was my version of a candy store to receive our foundation with brush which was made for the foundation along with other Bare Mineral Goodies to try.

Per the Ulta Website: The bareMinerals Luxe Performance Brush is the perfect partner for the creamy texture of barePro Liquid Foundation. Its dense, tapered fibers mimic the shape of your fingertips to provide smooth, flawless coverage, while the compact head size allows for fast and easy blending around hard to reach areas like the nose and eyes.

New Bare Minerals Foundation — Photo Credit: Alexa Cardelli

Matte Foundation For Oily Skin — Photo Credit: Alexa Cardelli

Lets talk about the claims of this magical matte foundation:

Good For Your Skin
24 Hour Wear
Breathable
Full Coverage
Naturally Matte Finish
Non Chemical SPF 20
Available in 30 Shades

Sounds amazing right? The way they are able to have a naturally matte finish is from the bamboo stem plant extract along with papaya enzymes that improve skins texture over time. The foundation is “powered by Mineral Lock™ Long-Wear Technology that blends mineral pigments with lipids naturally found in skin to lock in transfer-resistant, color-true coverage” Aside from all of this its heat, water, humidity and sweat resistant which is something we need for Chicago Summers lol

In the next couple weeks I will be testing out the foundation so please stay tuned! I did play around with it the other day and to my surprise when I pumped it on my hand (yes it has a pump!! winner right there!) it was very thin and creamy and it covered my redness immediately. Needless to say I am very excited and intrigued by this foundation.

I received a ton of questions on Instagram about my makeup for the event so I wanted to give you a breakdown of the products I used. I kept my makeup minimal with a bold red lip. I knew I did not want to do a full coverage foundation as I wanted to be matched as accurate as possible. I was actually very pleased with the outcome and it lasted despite the fact that I forgot to put on primer. Oops!

PRODUCT BREAKDOWN: Makeup Of The Night (Click to Shop)

I hope you enjoyed this post! Is this foundation on your radar? What is your go to Matte Foundation? Stay tuned for my full review on this foundation!

Please share, pin away on Pinterest and Subscribe!

DISCLAIMER: Some links associated with BPAMC are affliate links and products were sent for editorial consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank You for your constant love and support to Beauty Products Are My Cardio

TOP DEWY CONCEALERS: Drugstore & High End

August 8, 2017August 8, 2017 by beauty-products-are-my-cardio

With most beauty products we are always on the hunt for that perfect product that will work like magic. Concealer is probably one that is high on the list if you ask most women. Just like foundation, concealer can be very personal. Whether you like dewy concealers, matte concealers, full coverage or just enough to get you through the day it’s a preference. My preference is a dewy concealer that has medium to full coverage but some days I prefer light coverage. I also want the concealer shade to be pretty similar to my skin color. Don’t get me wrong I like a brightening look but not for everyday. Many concealers that will give you a more dewy look will also be listed as a natural or satin finish.

In the past year I have tried so so so many concealers including Tarte Shape Tape that has a cult following however it was too matte and too thick for me. It has fantastic coverage so I can see the appeal 100%, it just was not for me. My go to concealer use to be MAC Pro Longwear however it has becoming too drying under my eyes and I blame my kids and good ole aging lol. I have been wanting to give that a whirl again I am not going to lie. Maybe mixing a more matte concealer with a dewy concealer since mixing is my new go to lol but for now here are my Top Dewy Concealers that I recommend from drugstore to high end!

I have included the shade names below for your reference as well. I do want to say there is no particular order here. I use ALL of these on the regular. I would say for a more pulled together look and or event the Bye Bye Under Eye, NYX Gotcha Covered and Marc Jacobs are a go to. The others are lighter weight and I will mix them with a more full coverage concealer or use for everyday no makeup, makeup looks.

Swatches from Top To Bottom: (Click Names to Shop)

NYX Gotcha Covered: $5.99 and available in 20 shades

Full Coverage
Waterproof
Infused with Coconut Oil

Bye Bye Under Eye Anti – Aging Concealer: $24.00 available in 6 shades

Full Coverage
Infused with hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, vitamins, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants

Amazing Concealer Hydrate: $32.00 available in 10 shades

Light to Medium coverage (I prefer to mix this one with others especially if others seem to light since this shade is a bit dark for me – but I love the way it looks under my eyes)
contains sodium hyaluronate to help plump skin while smoothing away fine lines and wrinkles

MAC Mineralize: $23.00 available in 13 shades

Medium Coverage
Provides instant hydration
Enriched with minerals and botanicals

L’Oreal Pro Glow: $9.99 available in 8 shades

Light Coverage (I have noticed a funny smell with some. I had 4 to choose my shade but it does go away and it was not in all of mine. I prefer this for no makeup makeup days. I think this is also great for a younger person looking to have a little coverage and who is just starting with makeup)
Very Blendable and can be used for highlighting as well

Re(MARC)able Full Cover Concealer: $32.00 available in 7 shades

Full Coverage
Ingredients include Shea Butter and Coconut Extract

Dream Brightening Creamy Concealer: $7.99 available in 6 shades

Light Coverage
Formulated with light reflecting pearls

Dewy Concealers — Concealer Wands from MAC Mineralize Concealer and L’Oreal Pro Glow Concealer

What concealers are you loving at the moment? Do you prefer full coverage and matte? Light and Dewy? Let me know because no matter what I am always looking for more to try!

A few that are on my list to try … ok ok more than a few lol!!!

If you have tried any of these I would love to hear your thoughts!